For the past few days my rants against Windows Phone, and sometimes iPhone, have become sharper. A few weeks ago I got myself an iPhone 5 and the device has become my primary device, with the Lumia 920 still accompanying me everywhere. Using the iPhone 5 has made me change several conceived notions. Coupled with product news that keep coming in, my observations on Twitter have received a lot of criticism–which is understandable.

The Lumia 920 is a bulky phone compared to the iPhone 5, in fact the 920 feels uncomfortable to hold compared to the Nexus 4 for two reasons:

weight

width

You do get used to the two but the bulk (and extra weight in the upper half) keeps haunting you, especially when your second phone is half the weight. L920 owners have made arguments against the weight:

Nokia couldn’t have done anything about it if they wanted to release a phone in time

It’s not a big deal

The first one was rubbish, and I’ve maintained so. Nokia coming out with Lumia 928 within 6 months of 920 is proof that Nokia could in fact have released a less bulky phone. Here’s the annoying part: Nokia’s design team has gone a step back with each Lumia. Devices usually get lighter/thinner with every new model, but the flagship Lumia has gone the other way round:

Lumia 800: 140g

Lumia 900: 160g

Lumia 920: 185g

People defended it and Nokia is set to release a lighter/thinner phone within 6 months, that’s evidence that Nokia realizes their blunder with the L920.

This brings us to my statement, when I blame Nokia for launching a better phone within 6 months as a betrayal of trust, it’s argued that technology changes rapidly and I have to deal with it. Here’s the problem with that:

Flagship phones from Apple, Google and Samsung remain flag ship for a year. Given the economic situation where people really want value for money, like me, will consider this factor. (Apple got a lot of flak for releasing iPad 4 months after iPad 3.) It was the same people who blamed Apple for betraying the customer. A lighter phone is an expected evolution, it’s not a drastic product improvement worthy of a new flagship model–many criticized the iPhone 5 and 4S for being an incremental, not revolutionary upgrade, because one of the biggest feature of the phone was its light weight–and yet when I say Nokia fucked up by launching a bulky phone and fucked up more by showing intentions to launch a thinner/lighter phone in 6 months, I’m considered to be oblivious to technology developments–it wasn’t me who was oblivious; it was Nokia who is being short-sighted.

A better product >> several mediocre products

For Nokia, several mediocre products worked in the past, especially India, where the company launched one phone with a good camera, another with better storage, and another with a better screen–but not a phone with all the best possible specs. They’re using the same strategy again and hoping to spam the market with a lot of Nokia phones, unfortunately, the market is polluted with Android phones today.

That brings me to Android. And Google. Having spent quite a bit of time on iOS6, the OS has brought nothing new in terms of usability since the last time I used it. In fact having gone to iOS after WP8, made me realize that Windows Phone 8 is a well thought out OS that has been designed around improving usability.

If you talk (or have talked) to any Apple apologist, attention to detail is a concept you’ll definitely be schooled at. iOS is everything in the other direction:

When you’re not typing in capitals, the keyboard still shows you capital letters

A few days ago I realized that I use more Google services on my iOS phone than Apple services. To name a few that I use every few minutes:

Chrome

Maps

Currents

YouTube

Gmail

Search

Now, none of these are services that I can’t move on from. I am not “tied” to Google, if there was a better alternative to any of the services above I can easily switch. (I hardly use Gmail.) Google simply offers a better experience at all these. When Apple replaced Google Maps with a product that was 10 times worse, iOS users realized how reliant they are on Google services. Since all these services are available on Android, and my data can be moved by simply singing in with my Google id, switching to Android is a seamless process.

Why would one move to WP8 when:

I have most of the third-party iOS apps on Android

I have access to all my data by simply signing into Google

WP8 has no Google love and has sub-par alternatives

It’s simply a pain to switch to a new platform. Google and Android have eliminated a major barrier if people want to switch. And if they don’t switch to Android, Google is still a leading a app/service provider on iOS. They win either way. Microsoft does not have any can’t-live-without product on the iOS that would make one consider WP8 to switch.

Microsoft has given iOS users no tangible benefit to switch.

This brings me to apps, and usability. Over the past few weeks I’ve realized that I can live without Instagram and Path. They’re popular apps but add little value to me besides being able to post across platforms. Those with existing communities on both have a reason to stay, but for a light user, the absence of these apps is not a deal breaker. The absence of these apps coupled with factors like a bulky phone and the presence of mediocre alternatives to daily used services–that’s a deal breaker. (HERE Maps+HERE Transit offer nothing over Google Maps that everyone is used to. And they’re slow, give poor routes in some cases I’ve tested.)

Google isn’t releasing apps for WP8 for two reasons:

There aren’t enough users, if there were, like in iOS’s case, Google would

If they release apps, regular Google users can switch to WP8 sans the migration barrier, Google doesn’t want that. They want people to switch to Android from iOS

Google’s Android has become like Windows of the 1990s:

can be customized by OEMs

has all the apps people want

offers services that people use daily

Windows Phone 8 is none of the above. I see no reason to tell someone to move to WP8. Microsoft hasn’t been able to figure out which division WP8 is a part of. For a regular user, today the right mix of devices is:

Recent Posts

Microsoft Talk

“I have no reason to tell someone to move to WP8″ needs a massive disclaimer. They need to be like you. Not everyone is. My mom just got an 820 and is perfectly ok with it. She can use Google search, and cares little about Currents and Now. Meanwhile, the fact that she can see all her friends and family’s FB updates and photos in one or a few tiles, is delightful.

http://beingmanan.com/ Manan

True. But I am not sure I’d recommend my mom get a WP8, even though it seems good enough for her. She isn’t a Facebook user & her entire social circle has iOS devices.

TheRomit

Sure, absolutely personal. Kinda goes with my earlier point, you can’t be so absolute in saying you cannot recommend,it to _anyone_

http://thetechnopath.com/ Uzair Sajid

After upgrading to a Lumia 920 from an Omnia 7, I can’t say I’m really thrilled. Its really heavy and uncomfortable hold (totally unlike the Lumia 800). I’ve also noticed a relatively weaker battery life and it gets hot a lot more often then not. I really wanted it to be the best phone I ever owned, but I have a hard time recommending it since it also costs $630 which is way too much.

But, I do like direction Microsoft is heading. I wish they’d up the pace a couple of notches but Microsoft isn’t really known for doing the most logical thing most of the time. I always carry an Android and Windows Phone with me but Windows Phone is my primary platform, despite the fact that Android does a lot of things quicker (specially those related to network connectivity).

Each platform has its pros and cons and Windows Phone isn’t really a bad platform. Unfortunately, it is a platform mostly ignored by developers which is keeping it from taking off. And it is becoming increasingly obvious to me that it will never take off because Microsoft just doesn’t have the _cool_ factor usually associated Google and Apple now.

I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if a few years down the line, major computing platforms would be Android at No. 1 powering a myriad of devices, iOS at No. 2 leading the tablet computing space though not by a huge margin relative to Android and a mix of Mac OS X on ultrabooks/laptops, *nix and small number of Windows machines for desktops thanks to the advancements being made in the usability of Linux and the support its getting from companies like Valve.

I was really hoping Windows 8 would mean checkmate (I actually really love it and it has been my primary OS since the developer preview) but the market has cast its vote by not buying it and I’m afraid its too late for Microsoft in the OS front. At least as far as the consumer market is concerned.

http://beingmanan.com/ Manan

I really won’t recommend a flag ship wp8 device to anyone but maybe 12k Lumia to someone who is a casual smartphone user on social networks.

http://beingmanan.com/ Manan

I agree with you.

TheRomit

That “casual smartphone user on social networks” is in fact the “next billion” category.

http://beingmanan.com/ Manan

Yeah, and as of now, Android & iOS are selling to more millions than MSFT.

http://gadgetmedia.org/ Ashish Bhatnagar

I am agree with many points mentioned by you in this article..it certainly is a betrayal of trust by revealing a better phone in less than an year. For the same reason I’m feeling very fucked up with Samsung because I bought an SIII only 10 months ago and now they’re out with an S4…

and yes, iOS hasn’t provided anything new in the usability from the last one year. I used to be an Apple fanboy till the launch of iPhone 5, but after watching the iPhone 5 launch event I was very disappointed with Apple. As a result, later I switched to Android from iOS!

BTW, one question for you…actually I’m being just curious to know something…you’ve said in this article that WP8 has no Google love and has sub-par alternatives….okay, now just imagine that someday WP8 shows some love for Android…. then are you going to switch back to WP8?

Anasalikhan

i agree with you manan, WP8 being a awesome OS cant grab that amount of users as iOS and Android.

As a MS and Nokia Hardcore fan i too bought Lumia 920 as Uzair said even i cant recommend this particular device to anyone, yah may be a mediocre wp8 device as they are less priced, still there are better option in Android for a regular user who cant pay more.and of course what we a regular user use gmail(most of the people), youtube,chrome,maps and in all these services Google is better . so for people Android is a better choice. iOS and Android offer huge no. of apps too . WP8 lacks in most of the service features.

I think MS and Nokia should work closely to get most fav apps and promote dev. worldwide, make better hardware which should totally rock wp8.Ms should Immed. bring their own apps for all, if not all then some of features of ios or android. like Google now. and its just my thinking MS should not make all the features of their apps for other platforms so that to make their OS Special but still there will be another question . why buy that device?

and as you said about Regular user Laptop : poeple are less likely to upgrade windows 8 as it brings up learning curve for them / confuse them. people are still happy with win 7 .

For me it is Uncomfortable hold, weaker battery life,very expensive.

Dave Selby

I enjoyed using Windows 8, I agree with majority of those who said that it is easy to use for those who only meed minimal from computers. If you don’t want to purchase W8, you can use Windows 8 transformation pack. It doesn’t change your current OS version, it only gives it look of the 8th Windows, very convenient.